TED intro of WorldWide Telescope is now up

I love TED Talks, it’s really great that they share those with us. Here’s the one that was given yesterday about the WorldWide Telescope from Microsoft. “It is truly transformative,” says Roy Gould, a researcher at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics. See you on Monday with a much better demo than the attendees at TED got.

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Published by Robert Scoble

Chief Strategy Officer at Infinite Retina. https://infiniteretina.com
The Spatial Computing (AR/VR/AI) Agency that helps entrepreneurs with their AR/VR projects and companies.
View all posts by Robert Scoble

PublishedFebruary 28, 2008

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46 thoughts on “TED intro of WorldWide Telescope is now up”

As Curtis Wong says in this presentation, this really did knock my socks off.. and to think it was barely a sneak peek of its capabilities. I do hope this gets all the possible buzz it deserves, this is the coolest thing to come out of Microsoft in a while.

As Curtis Wong says in this presentation, this really did knock my socks off.. and to think it was barely a sneak peek of its capabilities. I do hope this gets all the possible buzz it deserves, this is the coolest thing to come out of Microsoft in a while.

What has been on my mind for quite some time is this. Take ‘Orbiter’, the great free space flight simulator. Equip it with state of the art graphics, sounds, a good GUI and connectivity. Add virtual deep space travel like in Celestia to it, add access to online data -like Sky View and WWT-, add access to 3D/4D models of objects, states and interactions of/in the universe even.

Imagine seeing a supernova taking place from whatever position you choose in whatever time rate. Fast forward from a virtual telescope, real time or in slow motion from an imaginary space ship or from the surface of an alien planet. Watch the properties/things you choose. Or imagine landing on Titan for a walk, doing readings. Those kinds of things. Explore simulations, hypotheses and actual data in the way you want it.

It could go further. If you were going to Earth you could be presented with common Google Earth/Live Maps views up to Street View level. Or even beyond, looking through virtual microscopes. A never ending exploration in whatever virtual shape you wish.

This would be a genuine, realistic virtual reality which might even be used for social networking, 3D gaming, education etc. Google Earth/Live Maps will probably end up here eventually. Mobile devices with high speed internet, image/location recognition, sensors etc. would merge this virtual world with the real world where users add their own readings, data and thoughts.

What has been on my mind for quite some time is this. Take ‘Orbiter’, the great free space flight simulator. Equip it with state of the art graphics, sounds, a good GUI and connectivity. Add virtual deep space travel like in Celestia to it, add access to online data -like Sky View and WWT-, add access to 3D/4D models of objects, states and interactions of/in the universe even.

Imagine seeing a supernova taking place from whatever position you choose in whatever time rate. Fast forward from a virtual telescope, real time or in slow motion from an imaginary space ship or from the surface of an alien planet. Watch the properties/things you choose. Or imagine landing on Titan for a walk, doing readings. Those kinds of things. Explore simulations, hypotheses and actual data in the way you want it.

It could go further. If you were going to Earth you could be presented with common Google Earth/Live Maps views up to Street View level. Or even beyond, looking through virtual microscopes. A never ending exploration in whatever virtual shape you wish.

This would be a genuine, realistic virtual reality which might even be used for social networking, 3D gaming, education etc. Google Earth/Live Maps will probably end up here eventually. Mobile devices with high speed internet, image/location recognition, sensors etc. would merge this virtual world with the real world where users add their own readings, data and thoughts.

A lot of people seem to be expecting too much (or are they, I don’t know). or comparing it to stuff that simply isn’t the same.

It doesn’t need to be real time, it doesn’t need to true 3D, it just needs to be there. There so people can pick it up and play with it and see what the universe really is. Who cares if that stars a little to the left or, well whatever. The point is nothing I have ever seen (I’ve used maybe a dozen pieces of software over my life and I’m a really keen stargazer) has been so incredible, so revealing or so incredibly contextual and approachable. This isn’t a clique toy for researchers or boffins, this is a tool for everyone to see the universe. Take it for what it is, for gods sakes.

If I get one kid to look at the sky a couple of times and say ‘what is that that’s up there’, and then actually be able to look and find out, then I’ll be happy…

A lot of people seem to be expecting too much (or are they, I don’t know). or comparing it to stuff that simply isn’t the same.

It doesn’t need to be real time, it doesn’t need to true 3D, it just needs to be there. There so people can pick it up and play with it and see what the universe really is. Who cares if that stars a little to the left or, well whatever. The point is nothing I have ever seen (I’ve used maybe a dozen pieces of software over my life and I’m a really keen stargazer) has been so incredible, so revealing or so incredibly contextual and approachable. This isn’t a clique toy for researchers or boffins, this is a tool for everyone to see the universe. Take it for what it is, for gods sakes.

If I get one kid to look at the sky a couple of times and say ‘what is that that’s up there’, and then actually be able to look and find out, then I’ll be happy…